It’s time BC residents start asking questions of ICBC, and why a monopoly would overcharge by so much. The idea is that by “allowing” the government a monopoly, we get lower rates that we could with free enterprise competition.

Something is terribly wrong.

I think it has do do with engine size, and as I have a bike that’s over 1000 cc’s, they charge me a lot more. Unfortunately, motor size in inversely proportional to risk. Anyone with a 1000-1600 cc motor most likely older, and has years of driving experience =less risk.

Makes no sense, but ICBC is a monopoly and there is no reasoning with these bureaucrats.

Not sure what it takes to get BC residents to revolt against this monopoly and allow free enterprise into the province. It’s time ICBC was sold off or shut down.

They have it backwards… the one percenters aren’t the top, they are the stupid among us.

This weekend, one of the concerned neighbors in the area came to my door with a petition. The petition was to allow the city to add traffic calming features to our quaint little subdivision. Not that the 3 huge speed bumps they already put in are enough.

I asked “what seems to be the problem?”

And got, “there are a few people that consistently break the 30 km speed limit in the area, and we need to slow them down to make it safer for all of us.”

Maybe paying someone to sit on the street to take license numbers… then send them a letter may be more effective? At least from a cost perspective.

Which got me thinking… why do the 99% always have to pay for the stupid 1% among us?

Vancouver passes law after law to deal with these stupid people.. let’s let nature’s laws take care of them.

1% drink too much – let’s tax the products to death so no one can afford to drink.

1% drive bicycles like maniacs – let’s make everyone wear helmets.

1% throw out too much garbage – let’s only pick up garbage once every two weeks.

1% don’t know how to cross the street – let’s give pedestrians the right of way. Probably resulting in more pedestrians being killed, as now no one looks before crossing the street. And on East Hastings, Canada’s worst drug den on a major route into downtown, they dropped the speed limit to 30 km to protect heroin addicts from pretending to be deer. Add another 5 minutes to your commute.

It’s even illegal to operate a leaf blower without manufacturer’s decal ($250 fine)

Not sure who, but if you are considering it – Vancouver has a nuclear law. No Nukes allowed.

And don’t even think of sitting in your stopped car for more than 3 minutes – it’s illegal to leave it running.

If we passed laws under the principle that the 99% will do the right thing, we’d be able to drastically cut our nanny state down to size, and focus on creating a better, more free society. We might even lose the title of “No Fun City”.

Next time they try to pass a law for the 1%, please speak up. If 99% of us get it right, what’s the problem?

They even made a documentary on how Vancouver kills anything fun and creates unintended consequences:

Charles Woods on the incredibly shocking interactions he had with the President, the Vice President, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Charles, who’s son was killed in the terror attack, goes over those stunning details and also reacts to the breaking news that the administration denied his sons calls for help 3 times.

The truth is that Obama did not want a terror attack on Sept. 11th anniversary to play a part in the election campaign, and coordinated efforts to play it as a result of a video.

Truth has a funny way of getting out.

In the end, we’ll find that Ambassador Stevens was involved in running guns to al-Qaeda in Libya. Fast and Furious Middle East style.

I’m struggling to stay in this world, because everything just touches me so deeply. I’m not doing this for attention. I’m doing this to be an inspiration and to show that I can be strong. I did things to myself to make pain go away, because I’d rather hurt myself then someone else. Haters are haters but please don’t hate, although im sure I’ll get them. I hope I can show you guys that everyone has a story, and everyones future will be bright one day, you just gotta pull through. I’m still here aren’t I ?

-AmandaTodd

Vanc Sun: The mother of a teenager who died Wednesday of suspected suicide wants her daughter’s anti-cyber-bullying video to be used to help other young people.

Fifteen-year-old Amanda Todd was found dead in a Port Coquitlam home at 6 p.m. Wednesday, five weeks after she posted a heartbreaking video on YouTube about her own experience with online harassment and bullying.

“I think the video should be shared and used as an anti-bullying tool. That is what my daughter would have wanted,” Carol Todd, Amanda’s mother, told The Vancouver Sun in a message on Twitter.

In it Amanda does not speak, but instead holds up to the camera pieces of paper on which she has printed her story, one phrase at a time. She documented a painful tale of being harassed online and being shunned at school, leaving her feeling alone and suicidal.

Near the end of the video, she writes: “Every day I think why am I still here? … I have nobody. I need someone.”

If you want to stay ahead of the housing crash that’s unfolding here in Vancouver, you need to check out this blog that keeps a weekly score of the rapid decline.

The Desperation Meter column is my favorite, with the research on the prices around the Vancouver area really showing how the game is/has been played.

With the foreign money drying up, I am betting on a 40% drop in prices here. All of the indexes are so far out of whack, that only Hong Kong is priced more ridiculously. But they actually have the business climate to support it.

Check it out here if you are in the Vancouver area housing market, thinking about getting in, or just amused.

The 3 Million Dollar Vancouver Website Debacle

Personally, as someone that makes a living creating and managing websites, I applaud the salesperson that fleeced the City of Vancouver. Unfortunately it’s our money, and in comparative terms, this rates up with the fast ferries.

About half of that was for the technology side (hardware, software and customization) and about half for three years for salaries for 20 staff, extensive research on what worked and didn’t work for people (research found little actually worked well for people), design and development of the look and feel ($40k), templates, writing the information, consultations and focus groups, staff training and detailed testing.

THREE YEARS??? Talk about time to market.

We either have bandits in the web development business, or the market (customers) is clueless on what a website should cost.

You’d think for 3 million they’d be able to figure out a better title for Google (Home???):

Vancouver is piloting a program to house downtown eastside women in shipping containers – a new form of social housing.

The 320-square-foot units will be located on Alexander Street.

Built from 12 shipping containers stacked three high, giving each lady a bathroom, and a kitchen.

Atira executive director Janice Abbott says they will create nice, safe and affordable accommodations for women without a permanent home.

The city has already provided a building permit for the project. If all other approvals can be granted in the next few weeks, Abbott said, the development could be ready for tenants by some time in the summer. Six of the 12 units will be rented at the welfare rental subsidy rate of $375 per month.

Beats living on the street and at a cost of $85,000/unit, classifies as cheap housing here.

Vancouver Airport decided to raise the fees on travelers by 33% (again).

“Every penny of (airport improvement fees) collected goes toward building a better airport for British Columbia,” said Larry Berg, Vancouver Airport Authority president and CEO.

That’s great… but considering that I have saved an average of $200 per flight (Hawaii savings for two = $850/or free hotel) by taking the (enjoyable) trip to Washington, plus the savings on duty-free beer, hopefully they will learn that there is a limit to overcharging people.

I am in business… I travel every month to the US and Asia. The additional fees (and higher airfares in general) to have the privilege of flying out of YVR, comes right off my bottom line. The savings I get by spending and additional 45 minutes to go to Bellingham, means I can also fill my SUV, and have a dinner or two and still be ahead.

Plus, I don’t have to put up with those grumpy old Air Canada stewardesses.

I’m not the only one. The border-crossing folks tell me that they are seeing a huge increase in people from Vancouver driving to Belllngham to fly.